Why is there so much fuss about giving an experience instead of an object?

If you need an idea for a really, really special and unforgettable gift for a loved one, choose an experience instead of just more stuff. Why? It has already been proven many times that experiences make us happier than objects, and that this happiness lasts longer.

To help you become everyone’s favorite gift-giver, read our list of 52 experience gift ideas, so you have at least one for every week next year. How thoughtful of us (and you)!

1. Opera/theater/show tickets (for the best seats, of course).

2. VIP concert tickets.

3. Plane tickets. Not really creative, but plane tickets are always a good idea.

4. A day at a spa center. Or, even better, at a warm outdoor swimming pool when it’s winter outside. Raise the stakes by bringing a flask of hot tea and rum.

5. A massage, preferably accompanied by a glass of wine or a cup of hot chocolate.

6. A thought-provoking book.

7. A book full of travel challenges.

8. Wine tasting. Beer tasting. Whisky tasting. Chocolate tasting.

9. A drawing/guitar/piano class.

10. A surprise trip (read How to plan the perfect surprise trip).

11. Bungee jumping.

12. Paragliding – a tandem flight.

13. A paragliding course (a whole new level where you can fly without an instructor).

14. Skydiving, diving, free diving

15. A day at a board games club.

16. A visit to an escape room.

17. A visit to a soundproof (anechoing) room – this is a hard task as there are just few anechoing chambers (absorbing every single sound and providing 99.9% silence) in the world, and they usually open only on specific days. They say that if you stay in an anechoing chamber for a while, you will start to actually hear your heartbeat.

18. A ‘coupon’ promising the recipient one day of your life together to do whatever they like.

19. Stargazing with a cup of hot chocolate.

20. A night at a Bedouin camp (for this particular idea you will need to already be in a country with Bedouins). If you are there anyway, use the chance to organize a great surprise by booking the night secretly, kidnapping your friend and taking them to the desert.

21. Glamping. Or champing (camping in a church) if you feel like scandalizing the religious society.

22. A dinner at a restaurant with such exotic cuisine that you can’t pronounce any item on the menu and you have to helplessly point to dishes to order them.

23. A whole day at a theme park.

24. A balloon flight.

25. A day on a yacht/boat with lots of champagne and a playlist with your favorite music.

26. A day snowshoeing in the mountains.

27. A cocktail night at a rooftop bar.

28. A night picnic.

29. A visit to a haunted/abandoned house.

30. A language course. Or step up your game by arranging a language course that takes place abroad.

31. A professional photo shoot.

32. If the person’s birthday occurs during a cold month, take them to a beach destination for a change. Or take them to a snow-capped mountain if they have never seen snow.

33. A party train ride. Book a whole compartment for the two of you, or for a bunch of friends. Bring goodies and drinks for everyone and let the party begin.

34. A hike in the mountain. Hide a box with a tiny cake and a bottle of champagne in your backpack. When you reach the peak, pop open the champagne and light the candles on top of the cake (you will probably have to buy non-extinguishable candles, because mountain peaks are windy places).

35. A night in a floating bungalow.

36. A dinner themed around the country of your most recent trip together.

37. Reunite the birthday person with an old friend who has been living abroad/faraway for years. Secretly arrange the friend’s arrival and, under the guise of a casual coffee with you, make the surprise meeting happen.

38. A membership for a museum, aquarium or a science center that lines up with the person’s interests.

39. A personal horoscope (if the person is into astrology). Substitute with a personal guided meditation, a human design, a personal coaching session or anything that will suit your friend’s soul.

40. A dance lesson.

41. Horse riding at sunset along the beach.

42. A subscription to yoga classes or any other sporty activity that will keep them healthy.

43. Anything homemade, because a homemade cake or herb-infused vodka is much greater than the product itself; it shows that you put time, effort and intent into creating it.

44. A luxury first night for a budget traveler. If you have a friend who spends most of their life on the road in crappy hostels and low-grade shared rooms, you can give them a ‘voucher’ for a first night in a luxury hotel for their next trip. After 26 hours of flying and interrupted dozes in airports, they will be more than thankful for a fluffy, cloud-like pillow and a real mattress in a soundproof hotel room.

45. Premium membership for their favorite app or online subscription. This could be Spotify, Calm or whatever service they love but would never splurge on.

46. Make one of their dreams come true. Has your friend always wanted to publish a book? To record their own song? Help them make their hobby a little bit more tangible by paying for the record or the publishing service.

47. Laughter. Have any of your friends been under the weather recently? Think of a way to make them laugh a bit: buy them tickets for a stand-up comedy show, take them to a comedy movie, or just organize a meetup with a mutual friend who is known to be light-hearted and always full of creative jokes.

48. A list of 52 challenges to complete during the next year. Make them fun and creative, and remember that some of them should be goofy and silly because that’s what friends are for! Thus, your gift won’t be forgotten for an entire year (and probably much longer). Browse through our Inspiration section to get some ideas.

49. A fixed sum of money with a catch. A 100-dollar note with a different kind of note, like: “On May 17, wherever you are, you have to spend this money on something unconventional, something you wouldn’t normally do. Spoil yourself, get adventurous or do whatever you feel like in the moment”.

50. A surprise party. OK, this is a classic. But if you haven’t done it yet, it’s almost always a cool idea.

51. A test drive of a fancy sports car.

52. A short video you secretly shot for this special person during your travels. Use a basic free video editor to make it shine a bit, then give it to the person on a memory stick wrapped in a ribbon.

53. Personal gift with print 🙂

I would also add a luxury pen to create memories. Or rather to preserve memories :)

Pin it now because you never know when you are going to need a list of good gift ideas:

Creativity is very important and a big plus in many ways.
For example, see who are creative agencies and what they do. You can inspire on the website hd-room.com 🙂

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Here are some alternatives to the classic overpriced tourist souvenirs that could work as warm vacation reminders for you and your friends.

A recipe for a local delicacy

You can’t bring that amazing pasta you tried in a restaurant in Florence home with you. But you could introduce yourself to the cook and ask for the recipe, then cook it yourself at home (or invite friends over and share the treat with them). Not every cook is willing to share their recipes, but it’s worth trying (and smiling while you ask really helps).

Cooking courses are another good idea, although personally I prefer getting invited to a local’s home for dinner and then helping to prepare the food. I explain how much I’d like to see [insert amazing food here] being cooked and learn how to make it myself – people are usually flattered that you like their country’s cuisine and will happily teach you.

My way: On my last trip, I saw the mother of the owner of the hostel I stayed at preparing a meal, and although we had no common language (she was Chinese), a few genuine smiles and curious looks over her shoulder got me an invitation to the kitchen. Before I knew it, I was helping her cook a delicious meal!

Don’t worry if you fail with all these ideas: you always have the option of finding a recipe online.

Bring a recipe | Roman Kraft/Unsplash

A song

I love listening to local hits when I’m abroad, and I’ve discovered that music can make for an unexpected and rewarding souvenir to take back home.

Knowing your friends like the back of your hand will help you discover new artists to introduce them to after your trip. Once you return home, add your contribution to the playlist for their next trip. Find a whole album by one artist, or make a compilation of songs by local artists.

Bring a song | Mitchel Lensink/Unsplash

A postcard (including one to yourself)

I love receiving photos from my friends’ trips in my email inbox, but there’s nothing quite like real paper postcards in my real mailbox. More often than not the postcards arrive after they’ve returned from their trip, but who cares! It’s the thought that counts.

My way: I have a tradition to always send a card to myself to remind me of an interesting thought that crossed my mind during the trip. It’s funny how I never remember what I wanted to share with myself and I’m excited to read it once the postcard has arrived.

Send a postcard (to yourself) |
©www.203challenges.com

Any random item you discover, especially if there’s a story behind it

Seashells (be careful, there are many areas where you’re not allowed to take them from the beach), pressed leaves (they make for fabulous wall art or cards), oddly-shaped rocks – all of these can be good gifts for friends who don’t need much to be happy. Add a small printed card with the story behind the object and maybe a loving message to let your friend know you’re thinking of them.

My way: I have a pinecone garland at home that contains more stories, sunrises, forest trails and happy moments than anything else in my home. Every time I go on a trip where pinecones can be found, I bring one home and attach it to the ever-growing garland.

Collect random objects, like pinecones or seashells | Annie Spratt/Unsplash

Tea, coffee, chocolates, wine – yes, but from a local market

I have a rule – if a box of coffee or chocolates has a photo of the place and an inscription in English, don’t buy it. A wiser alternative is to shop for food and drinks only from local supermarkets or open-air markets, where prices are reasonable and you can uncover some fascinating local products.

My way: I like challenging my friends and family, especially the more conservative among them. From my last trip to Thailand and b, I brought home packages of dried silkworms and crickets – a local delicacy. To be honest, I had underestimated my friendship circle, because almost everybody dared to taste them and actually liked them, although some chewed with their eyes closed and were ready to spit.

Bring exotic food bought from local markets | ©Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Photos

Long ago, people used to print every single photo they took. Now vacation photos get buried in a pile of everyday digital shots and we miss out on the opportunity to reminisce on our happy travel moments. Personally I have found that the photos I love looking at most are the weird and silly ones rather than the posed ones.

My way: I print one photo per trip (sometimes from my Instagram account) and pin it to a photo ‘clothes-line’.

Print photos | Iwan/Unsplash

Bonus idea: seeds

Although I haven’t really succeeded in planting many foreign flowers and vegetables from my travels, I always pay a visit at the local store or market where I get a handful of packs with seeds for anything I think I might like growing. My best achievement so far are Thai beans and unknown Brazilian flowers.

Pin it for later:

The post Stop buying souvenirs: 6 better alternatives to bring home instead appeared first on 203Challenges.

Organizing a cool surprise trip as a gift looks like a big hassle, but it’s totally doable in less than an hour. Just stick to this guide and avoid all distractions, please!

1. Choose the topic [2 minutes] – you shouldn’t need more than a minute to decide what your friend (wife, husband, boyfriend, girlfriend, mom, dad, etc.) is most into. Animals? Consider visiting a farm or an epic zoo, or booking a nature safari. Wine? Find the best winery offer tastings in the region. Еven if you are a fan of wine, you will probably still be surprised by wine with a different and nice taste.
2. Choose the destination [20 minutes] – there’s no need to browse through thousands of properties – the fact that it’s a surprise will make the experience special anyway. Google something like ‘the best places for animal lovers in X destination’. Choose the main attraction of the trip. Then choose a hotel or guesthouse nearby. Don’t close any of the tabs with the destinations you’ve chosen and then…
3. Make sure the birthday boy/girl has no other plans for the day. Then proceed to the booking [3 minutes] – make a casual call to ask your friend if they have already planned something for their birthday, using the excuse that your colleagues are inviting you to go to the theater on the same day. Don’t reveal that you are planning something. If the answer is ‘no’, proceed to booking. If the answer is ‘yes’, try to get an idea of what it is and who is invited. I’ve reached such levels of plan sophistication that I called every single guest to tell them the birthday would actually take place at another place and time, and they should keep the secret and pretend to be attending the event organized by the birthday person. It worked perfectly well.
4. Send a mysterious invitation [5 minutes] – use free online software (like Canva or BeFunky) to create an fancy invitation. Include only this information: when and where the person should be and what they should bring. If you are taking them to a warm place, include flip-flops and sunglasses in the to-bring list. If it will be a wine tasting, you can ask them to bring aspirin. You’re done! Now wait until the birthday when you can…
5. Blindfold them for extra suspense – just when they think the mystery will finally be over, add some more anticipation by blindfolding them and playing their favorite songs while you arrive. Unless you need to board a plane. Unfortunately you can’t sneak a blindfolded person onto a plane…
6. Surprise!

…romantic

…add a spa treatment for two or a dinner at a rooftop restaurant to make it more memorable.

…adventurous

…book a bungee jump, a skydive or ride on horseback in the wilderness.

…kid-friendly

…because kids like surprises too. In fact, every trip is a trip full of surprises when you travel with kids (at least for you) because you can never know when little Jimmy will spill a whole plate of spaghetti on his sister’s head, while using the tablecloth at the restaurant as a cape. So just look up the best children’s activity nearby and bring the kids’ favorite toys and games. Kids are also usually happy to join in everything the adults do – if you let them. My friend’s daughter went paragliding for the first time when she was five years old, and she even asked to go for a second time.

Pin it because you will have friends with birthdays, like, every year:

Discover more gift ideas here: 52 best gifts that are actually unforgettable experiences

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Handmade gifts show your friends (who may love the road nearly as much as you love them) that you care. But not all of us are artsy enough to create something beautiful. Sometimes we need help from someone who knows how to use a sewing machine.

Among the host of artists around the world who specialize in handmade gifts, Neli Apostolova (known by her artistic pseudonym Handmade Nel) is one who truly understands the traveler’s soul. More importantly, she knows how hard it is to fit only the basics into your ultralight backpack or hand luggage.

Money, a passport and a good book is all a minimalist traveler needs. Handmade Nel takes care of these necessities with some neat and beautifully designed gifts that will bring order to your luggage and inspire your wanderlust with their travel-themed patterns.

Here are four of our favorite travel essentials from Handmade Nel, whose creations are available on Etsy.

First and foremost, you’ll need somewhere to keep all your bathroom essentials in order. What better than this map-print toiletry bag?

Of course, there’s nothing like a travel-themed wallet to keep all your cards and banknotes safe on the road.

Or how about a passport cover to keep you looking stylish from the moment you arrive at your destination?

Traveling with an ebook is lighter than bringing your entire paperback collection. If you don’t mind swapping the smell and feel of real paper for a screen, this option is a real space saver. You ebook needs good protection, though; that’s where Handmade Nel’s beautiful case comes in handy.

Fabric ebook case by Handmade Nel

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#1 Portable folding hammock

Every lover of the great outdoors will appreciate this gift (if they don’t already have one). Portable hammocks are ultra-light and can be hung up almost anywhere. For extra comfort, choose one with a mosquito net.

#2 Ebook reader loaded with adventure travel books

You can load thousands of books onto an ebook reader and it will still only weigh as much as your cell phone. Their ultra-durable batteries can last for months, making them perfect for long trips. Here are a few suggestions of our favorite travel books.

#3 Portable battery charger

These come in various sizes and capacities, and are always useful on long-distance buses or journeys into the wild.

#4 Compact travel card games like Uno or Cards Against Humanity

These are popular in hostels all over the world and help break the ice with new people. Besides, they don’t take up too much space and can be left somewhere on the road if necessary.

#5 Portable speaker

Most portable speakers these days are really light and compact. If your friend is the life of the party, this little gadget will add plenty to the atmosphere of their trip.

#6 A set of postcards to give to people on the road…

When traveling, you often meet incredible people or want to say a kind ‘thank you’ with something more lasting than a beer. This is when postcards from your home country come in handy. As your friend probably has thousands other problems to consider, it is you who should remind them how valuable postcards can be.

#7 …and your address to remind your friend to send you postcards

Ahh, the old-school joy of receiving paper postcards in your real-life mailbox! Travelers should keep the fire of their hometown relations alive, and this is a good way to remind them of what’s waiting for them back home.

#8 Travel diary

A small, light notebook can save your life. Cell phone batteries sometimes die, and you need a back-up plan for that moment when you have to remember something without emailing it to yourself. Creative souls, of course, will make even greater use of this diary by filling it with sketches and poetic thoughts.

Pin this to your travel ideas board:

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Recent studies reconfirm again and again that the best way to spend money if you want it to make you happy is to pay for experience instead of things. So you can wrap a vacation voucher or theater tickets for your friends’ birthdays but what we propose is even better. It is an object containing experience inside: a book called “203 Travel Challenges. Travel the World. Explore Your Inner Self”.

There are actually many more than 203 inspiring travel challenges between its covers – outdoor challenges, challenges with friends, hometown challenges, once-in-a-lifetime challenges, crazy challenges, which will turn your ordinary trips into exciting personal adventures.

203 Travel Challenges | ©Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

5 reasons why “203 Travel Challenges” really is the best birthday gift

– hundreds of detailed ideas how to make your trips more exciting

– pocket size, perfect to always bring it in your backpack or suitcase

– real-life examples of ordinary people who have done exceptional feats – so can you!

– different versions of the same challenge – for beginners and for seasoned travelers

– you can draw ideas from the book for years as the possible challenges combinations are almost infinite.

Do you want to take a look at some of the challenges?

What to add to the book – 5 magnificent gift ideas

• • a plane ticket
  • paragliding
  • flight in a balloon
  • a day at an amusement park
• • a surprise trip (kidnap your friend for an adventure – a rough idea you can get from the video of Young the Giant‘s song Apartment:

I want to bring more inspiration to my and my friends’ trips with 203 Travel Challenges.

Speaking about gifts, you can give the book to yourself too!

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